LAHORE: The Punjab government’s first structured scheme that was launched to equally treat two rival postgraduate programmes – Doctor of Medicine (MD)/Master of Surgery (MS)/Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) and Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS) – suffered a setback after medical colleges refused students for training in MD/MS.

An official said that a central induction policy (CIP) selected trainee students for MD/MS programmes under Punjab Residency Programme in July. The Punjab Postgraduate Admission Committee later referred the candidates to heads of medical colleges across the province for enrolment against their respective specialties and disciplines.

The residency programme had been introduced in July 2016 with a sole purpose of providing equal opportunities (allocation of 50 seats each) to the MD/MS and FCPS students.

The official said it was shocking for the health authorities when they started receiving complaints that medical institutions were not entertaining students referred to them. Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Lahore and Sahiwal Medical College were among two of the institutions that refused the students, while many other expressed reluctance.

MD/MS, FCPS degrees allotted 50pc quota each under Punjab Residency Programme

Some 54 candidates had been sent to Services for training by the Postgraduate Admission Committee, he added. The SIMS management denied them enrolment on the pretext that the college’s 12 MD/MS programmes were still not affiliated with the University of Health Sciences (UHS) or recognised by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP).

The Sahiwal Medical College also conveyed to the health authorities almost similar problems, refusing to induct the MD/MS students.

The situation kicked off a debate on the career of students and the future of the MD/MS degree programme.

SIMS Principal Prof Dr Ayaz Mahmood clarified that his institute had applied to the UHS, CPSP and PMDC last year for recognition of their MD/MS programmes. The health authorities insisted he accommodate the candidates despite the status issue. “I asked them to take responsibility and also give me legal cover to adjust the candidates, which they did,” he told Dawn.

The SIMS started enrolling the MD/MS candidates but it was not the solution, as students would eventually suffer if the MD/MS programmes were not recognised.

On the other hand, there was a perception that MD/MS was being discouraged to retain the monopoly of FCPS degree in Punjab’s major medical institutions.

The official alleged that one of the major reasons was that supervisors with an FCPS background were promoting the degree by allegedly victimising students willing to enroll in MD/MS programme. Since most heads of medical institutions had an FCPS background, they did not pursue cases to get MD/MS programmes recognised by regulatory bodies, he added.

After Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), doctors could opt for either of the two post-graduation programmes – FCPS or MD/MS/MDS. The FCPS is run under the CPSP and MD/MS by medical universities of Punjab.

The PMDC’s regulations have categorised both FCPS and MD/MS equally as level III qualifications.

While introducing the Punjab Residency Programme, the then Punjab government had announced allocation of 50 per cent seats each to candidates intending to pursue either of the programmes. However, data showed that the target of 50pc induction in both programmes could not be achieved so far.

The admission of postgraduate trainee residents is held in January and July each year. In January this year, 828 students were inducted to FCPS with 57pc and 636 MD/MS with 43pc out of the total 1,464 inductions, according to official figures. Presently, average induction percentage against both programmes was reported at 60pc for FCPS and 40pc for MD/MS.

However, the recent move by medical institutions to deny enrolment to trainee students and non-recognition of the MD/MS programmes in a large number has put the future of candidates at stake.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2018